To this route we called Route to him of "la Unión" because it is going to take to us to know, more or less, the part of the town that began to build when the medieval enclosure was insufficient to lodge the demographic explosion that meant in Cossonda the Treaty of "la Unión", in which were united in 1647 several farmers, having bought mules, fields, etc... soon to rent them "los unidos", and meant a growth of population of 71 houses that was in 1646 to 120 in 1709 and to 300 in 1771. (Push here to see the Tourist Plane of Cossonda) (Original version in castilian)
Said it we began, like in all these routes, "la Plaza’l Mercáu” [1], officially Plaza de España and that since already we have said in the Medieval Route began being a small cemetery, "el Fosal de San Juan" and was urbanized in the 16th century for market outdoors and in this time also the public executions become general in this place, since it was the amplest place and it fitted much people.
In "la Plaza’l Mercáu" still we can appreciate the old inn, of the 16th century, and some traditional eaves in the houses, in addition to being able to imagine to us where now is "la Casa Lugar", the yellow building that for of City council, the old hermitage of St. John that in that time was when its maximum splendour shone, until the new church in 1686 was constructed.
Also we have the walls of defense of the river with the original foundations of end of the 17th century, not therefore the wall, demolished several times by the river, and a small bridge to walkers, "el Puente la Plaza", vestige of first, of end of the 17th century also.
We were placed right to the other end of "la Casa Lugar", where enters “la Carretera”, officially Paseo de Don Fermín Gutiérrez Muro, part before closed of "la Plaza’l Mercáu" and opened at the beginning of the 20th century, when the highway was constructed that gives access to Cossonda.
We followed by this one the shade of the maple-trees appreciating some house by right hand with certain city-planning value.
When arriving at "el Puente’l Parque" we have to the right "la Casa Cultura" brick building constructed in 1994 and a little advanced more we have several houses, of the 18th and 19th centuries and constructed on the rest of the old wall, with eaves and facades of traditional type.
Where these houses still finish we can appreciate a small tower of the wall, "la Torre l’Hospital” [2], turned house nowadays.
And crossing the street we have "la Casa’l Medico", building that although at the moment has a doubtful aesthetic taste has a very important historical value, because in its lot was the old Hospital of Cossonda, in which was helped to die to our ancestors.
Before "la Casa’l Medico” lowers a small hill, took it and entered "la Replaceta’l Molino” [3], urbanized in the 17th century, although very transformed, and called thus by the old oil mill that was there and that the 20th century was working until entered good.
We retraced steps our steps returning to leave to "la Carretera", if we turned the Vista to the left we will be able to see a part of mount that dismounted so that this one entered, and we again followed the right and arriving at the crossing at the right by "el Puente’l Lavadero", substitute of whom was as well substitute of "el Puente Roto", that located a little more under the one of now, and which era of average point and that was constructed in the 18th century and demolished in years 50 of the 20th century to allow the passage of vehicles.
We crossed it and we are leaving to the left "el Lavadero" and "el Matadero” [4], two constructions of half of the 20th century and that still is in use, although "el Matadero" cannot be used legally from year 2001.
Following straight we arrived at "el Parque la Balsa” [5], leaving to the left "la Balsa" and cross a river by "el Puente la Balsa", small bridge of half point done in 1997 that tries to remember "el Puente Roto".
Crossed "el Puente la Balsa" we can rest a little in this park or take a mouthful while we appreciated the different vegetal species that populate this pretty place.
Fact this rest we can follow the course of the river downwards until we arrive at "la Caseta las Brujas” [6], small construction of the 16th century that contains a well and that counts the legend of popular tradition that that well communicates directly and by means of a passage with the Castle and that thus in the days of siege the inhabitants of this one could lower to the river to by water or escaping this way to the siege, also tells that house made the very same Devil in one night by order of the witches and who by that passage, transformed into black cats, they managed to enter the High Church, and to change the things of place, and in the houses with well, being synonymous of very bad luck to find a black cat drowned in the house well and agreeing, counts the popular tradition, with the death of some woman in the town, and that met the witches here to fly in procession to Sabbath in "Peñas Planas". Nowadays still some black cat can be seen around roaming by his, mainly at dusk.
Leaving legend separate and if we have a little time we can prolong a little plus our taken care of stroll raising with "la Carretera" and looking for between the pine we can find a set of 19 caves organized in 5 streets. Some were inhabited until the first third of the 20th century and when entering them still it is possible to be guessed to the organization of the cockpits and the outer walls of the houses that contained them.
Fact it we will return by the way which we have come from "el Matadero" and before arriving at him we turned to the right by "el Rabal del Río Bajo" and when raising the small hill we turned to the left and we arrived at "el Rabal de Carramonací", begun to build at the beginning of the 19th century.
What attention calls us firstly is "la Casa Gonzalo” [7], one of four houses lordlies of Cossonda, that is a solemn small village recently recovered and that presides over “la Replaceta Carramonací”, in which we can appreciate its two sheds of average point, its hybrid facade, its nobiliary shield and a small slab of ceramics that puts the name of the street.
Before this house, to the right also we have houses that form this "Rabal" and that are of principles of the 19th century, having some eaves of traditional cut.
We did not follow by this street, but by which a little raises and borders "la Casa Gonzalo" and we ran into to the bottom with "la Casa las Bayonas” [8], another lordly house, of the 18th century, familiar house on the part of mother of the famous pianist aragonese Pilar Bayona López de Ansó, to who greater people still remember coming to spend to this house the summers.
In "la Casa las Bayonas", within its deterioration still we can appreciate its shed of black stone, with its nobiliary shield upon him, its wood eaves little pronounced, its facade to three plants, with two windows whit grates, two balconies and in the superior zone several dintelades windows, the small slab that put the name of the street and another one with the number of the house and an iron sewer that for of water-drainage to the other side of the house.
There the Foundation "Pilar Bayona" is looking for to be able to rehabilitate this house to make a museum with the work of the pianist.
"La Casa las Bayonas" opens passage to us to the one of the prettiest streets of Cossonda "la Calle la Ceida", officially Calle de Pilar Bayona, most populated until does well little, which remembers that cossondan "rondadera" to us that said:
En la calle de la Ceida
se paró un día un galán
y
al ver las mozas que había
ya
no quiso salir más.
What it means: "In the street of the Ceida / a gallant stopped itself a day / and when seeing the young women who were / no longer she wanted to go out more".
Walking "la Calle la Ceida" we are seeing by hand left a collection of houses that seems identical, of numbers 26 the 8, and that only the reforms of each owner them difference, are "las Casas Logadas” [9], built in the 18th century like economic houses in regime of rent for the people who were approached to live to Cossonda in those years and that did not find houses where to live by its economic situation. These houses are of small proportions and the traditional distribution of its facades is of a shed of half point, turned almost all in a simple door, a small window, turned the majority now a balcony, and small oculus above, turned almost all now a dintelade bay. Its internal distribution in all is identical, clearing the reforms of each house, patio in the entrance, stable to the bottom and later corral, stairs to first stage, room to the corral ("la cambra"), cook-hungry with home of ground to the street ("el fogaril"), stairs to the second floor and barn ("la falsa"). Only it differentiates the symmetry, that is to say, in stairs and the stable they are to the left and in others to the right.
This set still conserves traditional eaves in the numbers 26, 22 and of the 18 to the 10 and traditional sheds in the 14 and the 10. In the side of opposite also we can appreciate a pair of sheds more, in addition to the small seat, "la Replaceta la Ceida", that is opened to half of the street. Later still we can observe another traditional eaves in 3 number and another shed of half point in the 1.
When arriving at the crossing of "la Calle la Ceida" with "la Calle las Eras Yermas" we can see another small plate with the name of the street. Here we will go meters upwards, until the number 17, house traditional type of the old farmer of Cossonda [10], of the 18th century, and that conserves its shed of half point, its traditional eaves and their facade moderately conserved, in addition to its interior little changed.
We will return downwards being able to see more eaves and some arc of average point camouflaged in some facade until we almost arrived at "la Plaza la Iglesia". To the left, in number 1, we have an ample building, that at the moment does of "Bar Parroquial” [11] in which bond the pain to admire its shed of entrance.
At the right moment which we arrived at "la Plaza la Iglesia" if we turned the Vista to the left we were with "la Canecilla", narrow street that respects the perimeter of the church and that has two small arcs, of 1898 [12], which they do of abutment to the wall of the church.
In this square the building of the Church of Our Lady of the Angels calls the attention [13], begun to build in 1681 and consecrated in 1686, oriented towards the north, with a brief brick facade, the entrance in arc of average point, two clocks, one of new work of doubtful taste and another one of recovered sun and with the numbers not very agreed with the facade, and a splendid tower with two quadrangular bodies, lodging the second the bells, recasteds in 1911 with the names of "María de los Angeles", to the one of the north, "Barbara", to the one of the west, "Bernabé" or "Valera", to the one of the noon, the greater one with 734 kg, and "Petra", to the one of the east, the minor with 394 kg. (To see the Tourist Plane of the Church push here). (Original version in castilian)
Finish the tower in a third octagonal body and a cupola placed in September of 1998 that it resembles to the old one of 1911 which there was to disassemble.
Entering the building of the Church it is necessary to lower, firstly, the stairs that give access to the receiver. We crossed the doors that separate to us of the part of cult and nothing else to enter we obtained a general view of the Greater Altar, the Pulpit, the banks, the Chapels and other ornaments of the Church.
If we upwards turned the look towards the left and we will see the old organ of the High Church, that lowered to this other adding the made high-pitched one to him.
In order to begin the visit we will begin walking towards underneath the organ and will see the left a small door that gives access to the bell tower and to the choir, where is the organ and great chorister's desk that served to read the books with which the choir sang. Normally it is closed.
If we followed the front we found the Chapel of St. Anthony, with a carved wood altarpiece, gilded and with three images, the power station is of St. Anthony, and the altar.
The following chapel that we were is the one of St. Joseph, with a golden altarpiece presided over by the image of St. Joseph and the Child taken of the hand and four turned columns and ended by a compostelan shell. In front of the altarpiece is the altar.
Later we arrived at the Chapel of the Virgin of the Carmen, with another golden altarpiece very adorned, presided over by a linen cloth, and with a covered hollow of blue velvet and gilded stars that an image of the Virgin of the Carmen and the Child conserves. Also this chapel has its altar.
Between this one and the following chapel, opposite, we have small stairs that give access to the pulpit, in elevated, place where the priests "lanzaban la pedricadera".
In the following hollow is the Chapel of St. Ramon with a narrow altarpiece with two linen cloths, one of St. Ramon, and four turned columns and a small hollow that the image of the Virgin of "la Cama". An altar and upon a this one small image of the Sacred Heart presides over this chapel.
Beaten to this one is the Chapel of St. Bernabeu, with a great golden altarpiece and three images, the central of St. Bernabeu, recovered in 2001, in action to preach. This altar was inaugurated by Mosen Juan de Lario and Lancis in 1753 and the jasper socle that surrounds to St. Bernabeu was brought of the quarries of Fonfria (Region of the Xiloca) and the black stone socle whom the altarpiece holds brought of Calatorao (Valdejalon) and the cubical span was paid to 5 aragonese solds.
If we happened through the small door that there is under the Altarpiece of St. Bernabeu we arrived at the Chapel of the Sacred Heart, where we have a small hollow where is an image with a Christ carrying a Cross, the Christ of Nazareth and an image with a lion on its feet and a book and in action to read. In the center of this Chapel is an image with a jacent Christ, the Christ of "la Cama", that removes in the processions of Easter, and, finally, presiding over the Chapel the image of the Virgin of "Mayo", that presides over the Church in that month.
Before happening to the Greater Altar we found in the ground a tomb with a black tablet. Here the rest of Mosen Jerónimo Miravete rest, deceased the June 2nd of 1622, and this tomb originally was in the High Church, being lowered this one when it was constructed.
The Greater Altar presides over the Church, of end of the 17th century, with a golden altarpiece of baroque style, with four turned columns and three main images, the one of the center Our Lady of the Angels and to the sides St. Peter and St. Paul.
This Altarpiece presides over in the stop a Christ of the 15th century that is previous to the construction of the Church, since it was in the High Church, and in his center it has a Shrine of gold and silver. In this part of the Church also we found the table that for of Altar, crucifix of silver style, the 15th century, that also was in the High Church, Baptismal Pile and three sets of banks, one for Priests and two for the Authorities.
We happened to the Chapel of the Virgin of the Dolores, sober chapel with an image of this virgin, who removes in Easter, and a linen cloth of the Passion of Christ.
To the left there is a door that communicates with the Sacristy and to the right other than communicates with the following chapel, but that now is closed.
So we left again by the Greater Altar and arrived at the Chapel from the Most Holy Christ with a golden altarpiece in and black with three images, the central of a Christ in the cross, great artistic value and superb expression in the face, and those of the sides of the Virgin Maria and St. John. This altarpiece thinks that also it inaugurated Mosen Juan de Lario and Lancis in second half of the 18th century.
Beaten to this one it is the Chapel of St. Anthony of Padova with a small altarpiece golden with four turned columns, two linen cloths, the one of under St. Anthony of Padova and the one of above of the Virgin of the Immaculate, and an altar.
The following Chapel is the one of St. Michael, with another golden altarpiece full of adornments and with two linen cloths, the one of down representing St. Michael. This linen cloth is dated from the 16th century and was lowered of the High Church.
We happened to the Chapel of the Virgin of the Rosary and in her we were an excellent altarpiece golden with four columns turned and full of adornments. It contains three images, the central is the Virgin of the Rosary, rich ornamented with mantle golden in the style of the time. It was acquired in 1586 by its Brotherhood and one was in the High Church. This Altarpiece was constructed in 1713 and its Brotherhood paid to it, by the construction and carving 200 jaqueses pounds and, to gild it 280, and thinks that he is the best one of all the altarpieces of the Church.
The following Chapel is the one of the Virgin of the Pilar with an altarpiece golden with four turned columns and five images, the central of the Virgin of the Pilar, those of the sides of St. James and St. Roque and above other two images more. An altar presides over this Chapel.
And finally we arrived at the Chapel of St. John, with altarpiece also golden and three images, the central of St. John Evangelist and those of the sides of St. Camillus and St. Paschal. Like him of St. Bernabeu, this altarpiece also was inaugurated by Mosen Juan de Lario and Lancis in the 1753 and also the jasper socle that surrounds to St. John was brought of the quarries of Fonfria (Region of the Xiloca) and the black stone socle that holds the altarpiece brought of Calatorao (Valdejalon) and the cubical span was paid to 5 aragonese solds.
They complete the Chapel a Christ in a cross and both older busts, along with the image of the Virgin of the Rosary and the Christ of the Greater Altar, than have in Cossonda. The bust of St. Bernabeu, ordered in 1600 for the High Church, which presided over, and the bust of St. John of l'Armita, ordered in the same year by its Brotherhood and that presided over the Hermitage of St. John.
Leaving this Chapel we arrived at the doors that have given entrance us to the interior of the Church and from we can here return to appreciate an almost complete view of all the content and to walk by the center being contemplated the ceilings, cupolas, large windows and also, why no, the ruinous state in which are some of their parts.
Fact it we can return again to the seat and turning to the left we will be able to see "el Mercáu” [14], covered building that for of market in the days of rain, constructed by half of the 20th century, brick and with several arcs, as much to the entrance with in the large windows. It contains three small tourist posters.
Soon we become to find with "el Puente la Plaza", a small street parallel to the river, "l'Estrecho", and separated of this one by the wall of defense, begun to construct at the end of the 17th century to defend the church of future avenues. We continued upwards by "la Plaza la Iglesia" until finding us in the confluence of this one with two streets.
The one of opposite, "el Barranquillo" or Calle de San Bernabé, respects the layout of an old called ravine "de la Hoya" or "de las Chotas" that by his danger at moments of torrential rains it had to be turned aside by means of a channel by the outskirts of the town.
We did not follow by this one but by the other street that follows the left, "la Calle la Balsa", officially Calle de San Cristóbal, entering "el Rabal de la Fuente", begun to build in the 17th century.
Nothing else to enter, by hand left, we have "la Capilleta” [15], of the 17th century, small crack in the wall of a house and that lodged a wood image, at the moment it is covered and threatened of demolition by the ruin in which is its building. We followed between some shed and traditional eaves upwards and when narrowing itself the street we arrived at ruins.
In this lot was until april of the 2003 "la Casa la Fuente” [16], of the 18th century, another one of the four lordly houses of Cossonda, with "“la Casa Gonzalo”, “la Casa las Bayonas” and “la Casa Certales”, that we will raise soon.
This enormous house was characterized by its shed of black stone finished off by its nobiliary shield, its balconies, as much to "la Calle la Fuente" like a "la Replaceta la Fuente", its eaves, their facade and also the bordering houses, of the service, that inner made a set of corridors and rooms that communicated them between if.
To the right we have in a house, also of the 18th century, that at the moment is the Rural House "Natura” [17].
A little above, to the left where the ruins finish, was a small house, that in his last times been it had vacated and later had been the blocks of "la Casa la Fuente". This house by its sobriety and forms could be taken like the house traditional type from the old day labourer from Cossonda [18].
If we followed ahead in the following house we have a beautiful row of balconies [19], that gives to the other side of the house in "el Barranquillo la Balsa", and at little we arrived to "la Casa Certales” [20], of the 18th century, last lordly house that we have left to see, with its shed, shield, large windows and facade, although this last one very changed by one reform that was undertaken in the summer of 2002.
In the surroundings of this house also we found several sheds more than half point, traditional eaves and some vent in the ground of some homemade warehouse.
We return downwards, by where we have come, until the ruins of "la Casa la Fuente" and we turned to the right by "la Calle la Fuente" until the homonym small square.
When arriving here, the left, still we can observe an arc of half point of entry camouflaged in a door and a little advanced more we found "la Fuente” [21], with their three sewers, two gilded and "el Caño Negro", urbanized at the end of the 17th century and recovered, along with "el Puente la Fuente" with doubtful taste in 2003.
After refreshing to us in "la Fuente" we cross a river Algairen by "el Puente la Fuente" [22], bridge built at the end of the 17th century to solve the passage of cavalries and vehicles from a side to the other of the river, since when constructing the church and needing the walls defense to avoid their possible flood, these walls prevented the ford that was made by the river until then, having to construct two elevated bridges, "el Puente la Plaza", for walkers, and "el Puente la Fuente", for the uses already commented, creating a city-planning set, both bridges and the wall, complementary and contemporary to the church.
"El Puente la Fuente", along with "la Fuente" and "la Casa la Fuente", formed one of the most important sets of Aragon of the civil traditional architecture of Baroque of end of the 17th century until the disappearance of the mentioned house and restoration of "la Fuente" and "el Puente la Fuente", thus losing great part of their artistic value, as as much historical, in addition to the loss of recreation of traditions, since the demolished walls indicated to us so that it served "la Fuente", in addition to providing of water the neighbors who her approached, it stops creation and connects of future pairs, since at dusk her the different groups from young men and young women approached, ancestors ours and therefore thanks to them we are here, they to gather the water for the houses and they to receive the wine of the wage of "la Casa la Fuente" and of step to establish cautious of complicity among them while they were waiting for its turn seated in its walls.
After lowering by the left of "el Puente la Fuente" we arrived at the height from "la Casa Lugar” [23], building recovered in 1986, and that, although now it does not have much architectonic value, if that has much historical value, because its lot lodged to the old Hermitage of St. John, since we have said in the beginning. This hermitage was alienated to the Rectory of Cossonda in the Mendizabal’s Redemption of 1836, happening to be jails, schools, bull pens and, finally, seat of the Town Council. The walls of the hermitage were very simple and a small small bell ended on the door and in the interior it had three altars: the linen cloth power station, dedicated to St. John Evangelist, the one of the side of the epistle, of sculpture, with an image of Our Lady, sculpture golden, and to the other side a picture on table representing St. Anne and a sculpture of St. Nicholas. Also it was buried there, the October 3rd of 1672, to Mosen Pablo Romeo, promoter of the treaty of "la Unión".
And with ésto, since we are again in "la Plaza’l Mercáu” [1], we give by finished this Route of the Union. We hoped that they have liked.